Monday, May 24, 2010

Flavored Water Kefir : Rhubarb-Rose Petal

I love the taste of plain and simple water kefir made with water kefir culture, sugar, water, raisins and lemon. Now, I'm starting to experiment with flavored water kefir using a second ferment after the first water kefir ferment is complete. I've read about people doing second ferments with fruit juice, fruit, coconut water, and ginger for a sweet soda-like drink. I'm looking for something with a bit of a bite:

Directions:Pour slightly less than a quart of fresh water kefir into a quart jar.To get more flavor I chopped the rhubarb into 2 inch long pieces and split them down the middle. I also sliced the hunk of ginger so that lots of ginger was exposed.

Put all the ingredients into the jar of water kefir.Push it under the water kefir, cap it and set it on the counter. Let it ferment for 24 hours and then refrigerate it. I'll keep my eye on it during those 24 hours to make sure there isn't too much carbonation build up and if there seems to be I'll open the cap to release it.

Some people like a strong carbonation but I like just a little. Tomorrow I'll taste it but I'll probably let it steep in the fridge for a few days before officially drinking it. I'll report back about it.

About Me

I am a musician, organic gardener and improvisational cook. Following the birth of my child, I developed many symptoms and deep exhaustion. It took a decade and a half to recover using alternative treatments, diet change, and fermented foods. Out of this healing experience I developed cook books to share what worked for me. I recently opened a commercial kitchen to sell Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread products. I am always learning.